Effloresce
by Reso
Summary: A brand new epic story based on FF8
1. Chapter 1

Effloresce   
  
Introduction- This is a FF8 story. It is after the sorceress war but is not particularly linked to FF8 with the exception of some of the locations, the characters and their bonds. The story may seem slow at first but It will get better. It won't reach the heights of 'Frozen' but it's going to be pretty epic, especially after the first two chapters. Take note of the name effloresce, I chose it for a good reason.  
  
Legal Disclaimer- I own your ass!  
  
Also, please review this story. I'd like to know what you think of it. Any comment is appreciated, and all suggestions will be taken into conversation.  
  
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The dusty, lonesome streets of Winhill were the antithesis of Squall's usually surroundings. The cold, lifeless but always racing machinery of Esthar were a million miles away, even Balamb became a technological metropolis when compared to it. Through his dark (and almost mechanical itself), Squall was probably one of the few people who could appreciate the subtle beauty of a dirt road that led to nowhere, or a cliff where below a solitary fishermen dwindled the last few days of his life away.   
  
The ringing of his cell phone always brought Squall back into the real world. He recognised the number as Zell's  
  
Zell- "Yo Squall where are you"  
  
Squall-"On the Timber Road in Winhill"  
  
Zell-"Are you on your own?"  
  
Squall-"Yes"  
  
Zell-"Dude, can't you find better things to do with you free time?"  
  
Squall-"Look Zell, is there any reason for you calling me, or has today's girl left you?"  
  
Zell-"For your information Squall I've been with Kirsty for two weeks. Yeah there is a reason I called you, Cid want's to see you. I've already put Rag on auto-pilot for the Winhill Limits, be there in fifteen minutes"  
  
The phone blipped and disconnected. Squall looked into the baron sky and turned around, picking up his pace.   
  
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The cockpit was probably the only place, bar the library, in the whole garden that Squall felt comfortable in. Now enclosed, it had a small bookshelf and maple cabinets, where the controls sat next to a desk. As per usually when Squall or someone he recognised entered, Cid was half sat on the edge of the seat, about to move, waiting to be motioned to stay seated. Squall waved his hand slightly and sat on the chair next to Cid.  
  
Cid-"Good afternoon Squall, how are you doing?"  
  
Squall-"I was doing okay…I'm sorry I've got a lot on my mind, is there a reason you wanted to see me so urgently?"  
  
Cid-"Yes there is Squall. As you know the Quad Festival is less than a month away. Selphie's sorting out the entertainment and Zell the food but for the welcoming speech I wanted something different…Squall I've noticed in my old age that I don't motivate new applicants as well as I used to. I need fresh blood to begin to take over my duties, but I also need someone I can trust to keep the honour held in the name of Balamb Garden. Squall, what I'm saying is that I think I can trust you. I want you to deliver the speech and I want you, eventually, to become my successor.  
  
Squall looked more than a little shaken. He had expected to be slowly brought in to do more of Cid's work, but not as rapidly as this.   
  
Squall-"Are you sure?. I am not the best person to deliver speeches and I am still motivated by you. As for bringing in me as your successor, I can tell you have thought long and hard about it, but why so suddenly?"  
  
Cid-"Squall, you know why I have chosen you and why I am doing so now. Everyday I see parts of me dying. But like a phoenix, they are regenerating. Everything good passed onto me by my father is being passed onto you. Your name, Lionheart fights you perfectly. You are fierce and intimidating on the outside, but to those who know you and those who you trust, you are intelligent, thoughtful and calculating. You are the perfect person to represent the garden in your generation. When you realise this then you will be able to inspire a new generation of SeeD's to become the best they can, like I hope I have done you"  
  
Squall offered a knowing smile. Although his pride would not admit it, Squall knew what Cid said was true. In every word that Cid spoke, Squall felt the passing of knowledge and experience. He knew that Cid believed in every word he ever spoke, and Squall knew that the destiny that Cid laid for Squall would be the destiny that was ahead of him  
  
Squall-"If you believe in me, then I will do as you ask."  
  
Squall and Cid stood in unison and hugged. It was an embrace that passed from Cid to Squall, the beauty of what lay ahead and what could be achieved.  
  
  
  
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Squall was sat on his bed with a notepad when Rinoa entered from the bathroom of his dorm. She wore just a bathrobe and she looked absolutely beautiful, even though she wore no make-up. She pressed against Squall's shoulder softly, caressing him.  
  
Rinoa-"Are you still writing your speech? Why don't you leave it and come to bed, it will be more fun, promise"  
  
Squall-"I need to finish it, Rinoa. The festival is only a week away and I want to make the best impression I can.  
  
Rinoa looked angry, but sad more than anything else. She removed her bathrobe and stood naked in front of Squall  
  
Rinoa-"Do you still find me attractive Squall? You say you love me, but you never look at me the way you used to. It is like I am object you have become used to and do not appreciate anymore.  
  
Squall-"You know that I find you beautiful Rinoa, but this is really important to me. I made a promise to Cid that I would conduct myself in the highest order that I can, and that is what I will do.  
  
Rinoa more looked more upset, as if she was about to cry. Her voice faltered as she spoke.  
  
Rinoa-"You made a promise to me, Squall. You made a promise, a vow, that you would love me forever, for better or worse. You are making me feel unloved, because you are breaking that promise."  
  
Rinoa left the room for the bedroom, leaving Squall staring at his notebook. He ripped the 14th sheet from it and began again.  
  
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Well only a short chapter this time but I'm building it up. Should be something interesting in the next chapter but I'm not spoiling it :-) 


	2. Chapter 2

Effloresce  
  
Welcome! This is the second chapter of the story. I added it quick because its been raining here and I've just bought Muse CD so I've sat down and started writing. This will probably be a really short chapter, it all depends on how quickly the plot develops. Keep reading!  
  
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The Quad was alive with colour and action. Many of the Senior SeeD's were holding workshops and demonstrations. There were a few rides set up and there was a stage.  
  
Irvine was on the stage with his band 'Kinneas and The Killers'. They were terrible, even to the point that Selphie refused to have anything to do with the rest of the band, who were, like Irvine, a bunch of wannabe cowboys. Although nowhere near as attractive Selphie though quietly. As Irvine squealed his way through the fourth song in what seemed like an hour she spotted Rinoa.  
  
Selphie-"Hey Rinnie, Over Here!"  
  
Rinoa- "Hi"  
  
Selphie-"Thank god I've found you, I really need to get outta here"  
  
Rinoa-"Why?"  
  
Selphie-"I don't think I can take any more of Irv's singing"  
  
Rinoa-"Yeah me neither, lets go get something to eat before Squall's speech"  
  
Selphie and Rinoa walked away holding their ears and laughing.  
  
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Zell looked around the crowd. Most of them were in their mid-teens, nearly all of them male.  
  
Zell-"Now when you are in a situation were you must fight, it is important to remember that your most effective weapons are you hands"  
  
Zell smiled and went over to the SeeD that was squatting on the ground. He moved next to him and the SeeD swept his legs from underneath him, sending him flat on his ass. The crowd laughed and Zell got to his feet and shrugged the incident off  
  
Zell-"He raises a good point, never lower your guard near an enemy…" Zell then tackled the SeeD, sending him hard to the ground.   
  
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Squall was stood to the side of the stage, half listening to Cid. It amazed him how quickly the front of the stage turned from empty to jam-packed in mere seconds. He still doubted whether it was a good idea for him to give the speech to the graduates when he heard his name being called. He shuffled to the centre of the stage with his head bowed. He took the microphone from Cid and Cid just patted him on the back. Squall had chosen not to consult Cid when writing his speech, now he wished he had.   
  
Squall-"Everyone today is here for one reason. Together we hold the future of the planet. With this great privilege comes great responsibility. There will be times in your future where you will have to follow strict instructions, laid out weeks before they are put into plan. There will be times when you will have to make decisions of your own in split-second life or death situations. But the important thing to remember is that you will never be alone. Look at the people around…you may share a dorm with one of these people, you may share a mission with one of these people. You hold a great burden on your shoulders, but this burden will be shared by the ones around you…"  
  
Squall looked around at the people in front of him. There were people he had known for years, people he loved like family, people who had become family. He looked at the new batch of students about to leave their mark in the gardens heritage. He realised he had the undivided attention of every one in front of him, that every word he was saying was being taken in as gospel to those who hoped to follow in his footsteps. For a solitary second he was in perfect silence.  
  
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	3. Chapter 3

Effloresce

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The silence was split by a terrifying cacophony of thunder. A massive explosion rose from the front of the stage, in the direct centre of where the students and SeeD's sat. It was a few seconds before another noise was made. It was a deafening scream. The whole area was filled with dust and many more people began screaming. Squall raced from the stage and into the crowd. He saw a spot of blood on the ground, followed by another, followed by a body, lying motionless.

At that moment it seemed everyone forgot about their own pain, and began to shout for friends and loved ones. Squall was perhaps the only one not shouting. He was searching through the bodies to find anyone he recognised. He found Zell laying face down in a pool of blood.

Squall-"Zell?…Zell?…Zell?"

Squall turned Zell over and recoiled in horror. His mouth was bleeding heavily and one of his eyes had been blown from his face. The other looked distantly into space, into heaven.

Squall let out a scream of angst and began searching for others. The dust was clearing and Squall could see the full horror of what had happened. Dozens of bodies lay obliterated in the middle of the seating area near the stage. Further back, the dead were joined by those screaming in agony, who had survived the blast but were in great pain. His immediate thought was to search for Rinoa. He ran to the place where was was sat. Underneath another body he saw her. He sat beside and held her hand.

Squall-"Come on Rinoa, answer me. Please"

Squall felt a faint pulse but received no answer. He looked around at the wounded and took Rinoa in his arms raced for the infirmary. As he left the quad he released how little of his speech was true to him…

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Squall was the first to enter the infirmary but it was now overflowing. Rinoa had been hooked to a life support machine and her condition was critical, but for the moment at least, stable. Rinoa was in one of the few private rooms in the infirmary. It was perhaps the only please to escape the chaos gripping the garden. Squall moved his stool closer to Rinoa and held her hand.

Squall-"Rinoa, please wake up. Show me a sign that you can hear me. Please, Rinoa…"

Squall held his head in his hands. He looked at the floor and tried to some up what had happened. Squall heard the door open and saw Cid standing in the doorway.

Cid-"How is she?"

Squall-"Critical but stable"

Cid-"Thank Hyne. Squall, this may seem a little heartless but I want you to forget about Rinoa for a moment. I'm trying my best but I can't keep control of what's happening. I need you to help me."

Squall looked at Rinoa and nodded.

Squall-"I understand…"

He bent over to Rinoa and kissed her on the forehead softly. He then left the room with Cid.

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Squall was stood in the middle of the now blood-soaked Quad. He, Cid and Xu were in a state of controlled shock. They could not come to turns with what happened, so they forgot about it.

Cid-"It seems one of the new students was carrying a bomb. We are going through the records of the sign-ups, but I doubt we will be able to find out who it was."

Xu-"When will find out what has happened to our friends?"

Cid-"Soon, but I wanted to leave the infirmary, all those except paramedics and those seriously injured have been ordered to.

Squall-"A bomb…why would someone do this?"

Cid-"It is far too early to know that. The importance is that we need to stay calm and clear-headed. A lot of people are going to  be turning to us for help."

Squall-"Zell is dead, Rinoa may die. I don't know if I can take this"

Cid-"I know that you can Squall. This attack horrifies me as much as it does you, but we must try not to worry. There will be a time to grieve, but now is a time to help those around you. I told you that I trust you Squall. If it is my last act here at garden, I swear to you that we will get though this"

Xu-"So what now?"

Cid-"I'm going to make an announcement over the tannoy. Those who are fit enough to do so must leave the garden immediately. Balamb is sending over transport as we speak. Xu I want you to phone Laguna immediately. Squall…check on Rinoa quickly then report to the cockpit…"

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_'If this is our last embrace_

_Why must I dream and always see your face_

_Why can't we overcome this war_

_Maybe its because I didn't know you at all'_

_Jeff Buckley 'Last Goodbye'_

When Squall entered her room Rinoa was barely awake. She had been passing in and out of consciousness. When she saw Squall she gave a weak smile and began to talk.

Rinoa-"Squa…OK…"

Squall-"Don't try and talk Rinoa, save your strength"

Rinoa-"Wha..what…happened?"

Squall-"Someone had a bomb in the crowd. We aren't sure who yet, but we are working on it"

Rinoa-"Friends…"

Squall-"Zell is dead"

Rinoa-"…and others"

Squall-"I don't know, but try not to think. There will be a time to grieve but for now concentrate on healing yourself…"

The tannoy clicked on and Squall heard Cid shouting-

Cid (Tannoy)-"Squall, Squall, get to the cockpit ASAP. Squall, get to the cockpit immediately" 

Squall looked at Rinoa then bowed his head

Squall-"I better go…I love you"

Squall kissed her then left the room.

Rinoa-"I…love you…too"

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The cockpit was packed. Cid, Xu, Nida, Laguna, Ward and Kiros were stood in a small circle. Ward gave Squall a solemn look, instead of his usual thumbs up, which fitted the mood perfectly.

Cid-"Squall, we have just received a message through the Cockpit fax machine."

Squall-"Who from?"

Cid-"I think you'd better read it…"

Cid handed Squall the sheet of paper like it was a bomb itself. Squall began reading…

'To whom this may concern

    How are you doing at garden? Not good? Then I take it our messenger has reached you. You may have forgotten us. After all, with no wars currently raging, there is no need to remember us.

    Or so you may think. You see, while you have been receiving billions of gil in funding we have withered and died. Until now. You see the powers of a sorceress are never removed, just passed on. And when someone close to us received that power, we ourselves inherited a great  power. It was so easy for us to infiltrate you, and it will be even easier to destroy you. Do not search for us, in time we will surface.

Always yours

The White SeeD's

Squall looked at the paper, surely this must be a sick joke. The White SeeD had seemingly disbanded after a period of inactivity. Some of its members had joined the garden, some had become peacekeepers. The White SeeD's contained no members capable of such an act. Squall looked at Cid, hoping for an explanation

Cid-"This is certainly troublesome. I do doubt the authenticity of this message but…"

Laguna-"Groups do evolve. The White SeeD has become inactive through lack of funding, as was mentioned, but maybe a few of their members have reenergized it…"

Squall-"But the White SeeD's have never been known for hostile attacks"

Ward-"Until now. Many terrorist groups are formed in wholesome groups. But people with grave intentions joined and they find reasons for other members to turn to negative acts. And as a group evolves it becomes more sinister"

Laguna-"Ward is right, sort of. Maybe some of its members took offence to its treatment and they have gathered momentum"

Squall-"Who do you think could be the person close to them…you don't think?"

Laguna-"It can't be"

Squall-"It has been a long time since I last saw her, and she was close to various sorceresses"

Cid-"Ellone…"

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Not as long as previously planned, but it has been kind of hard to keep things rolling without losing the intrest of the story. I'm not sure how the next chapter will turn out, but it will probably be a little slower, as I've finally laid out the bones of the story. Thanks for the reviews up to yet, and keep reviewing peeps. Comments and ideas are always viewed and appreciated J


	4. Chapter 4

Effloresce

I took the advice to keep writing. I'm pretty much coming up with ideas as I write, so you've as much of a clue about future plot twists as I have. So surely that makes it more interesting for both of us. Also, congrats to my mate Mike from Hope Of The States, who got to number 25 in the UK official singles charts with 'Enemies/Friends'. He won't see this story, so my positive comments won't go to his big bald head. Keep reading!

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_'I don't feel alright_

_In spite of the comforting sounds you make._

_I don't feel alright._

_Because you make promises that you break._

_Inside your heart._

_Why don't we share._

_Our solitude._

_Nothing is pure, anymore._

But solitude' 

_Mew-'Comforting Sounds'_

The toll of the attack was terrible. Many of the new students, the future of SeeD, had been killed or seriously injured along with many of the current SeeD's. Squall had lost some of his dearest friends. Zell, Irvine and Quistis had been killed instantly. Selphie was in critical condition along with Rinoa, but Rinoa was almost certain to pull through. It seemed the only one not injured from the attack was Squall, at least not physically. 

Squall was sat in the Cafeteria with two SeeD's. One was a guy called Sirion, he couldn't place a name to the girl who sat opposite him.

Sirion-"…Do you have any news then Squall?"

Squall-"None that I can share with you"

Girl-"Come on Squall"

Squall-"Sorry, I cannot breach protocol"

Sirion-"That's bullshit Squall. We lost friends in that attack, as did you, surely you can give us some information"

Squall-"…"

Sirion-"Damn it Squall!…Fine. Sara was right, your just a robot, programmed to follow orders. I don't think you even care about those who have died, just your next course of action"

Sirion and the girl left the table and Squall was left alone. It had been along time since someone's words had affected him, but what Sirion said brought tears to his eyes.

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The new White SeeD headquarters were under a small, seemingly dilapidated house in Winhill. The uniform was no longer worn, as to avoid unwanted attention. The headquarters were abuzz with activity. The hackers were uploading information from the gardens internal system, which contained detailed and private information of all the SeeD's and students as well as the gardens funds. The hackers had strict orders to change none of the information in the system, as there was no need to steal from the garden and a change of information could activate a hidden security system.

In the main office of the headquarters three suited men were examining a female, who was lying on a makeshift bed. The woman had been tranquillised, or she was in a deep sleep, as none of the scans and searches they did on her woke her up.

Second Man- "It's definitely inside her" 

First Man- "You are sure?"

Second Man- "Yes, all tests proved positive"

First Man- "What stage is she in?"

Second Man- "The sorceress has taken over her body, but she still has control over a large part of her mind"

First Man- "Are you sure that this will work?"

Second Man- "Absolutely. The sorceresses power was harnessed before it was captured and altered to follow our strict order"

Third Man- "Has harnessing the power made it weaker?"

Second Man- "No. When it was released into the subject it grew stronger, stronger than when it was first captured"

Third Man- "Is she ready to be awakened?"

First Man- "There is no need. Let her sleep"

The first man kissed the girl and smiled smugly

First Man- "Dear Ellone" 

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Squall and Laguna were sat in the waiting room of the infirmary. Although the chaos was almost gone, all of the beds were still full. There was an eerie ambience in the air of the infirmary, one of sadness and pain, but for others and not themselves. Many of the wounded had given up their beds to those with worse injuries and people were having long conversations to others who they had never spoken to before, and normally never would. Squall was reminded of the saying "Nothing shows the great strength of humanity like great sadness"

Laguna-"Squall"

Squall-"Yeah?"

Laguna-"Are you OK?"

Squall-"There are people around us doing a lot worse"

Laguna-"Yeah"

Squall-"Cid made a mistake picking me as a heir, I'm doing terrible."

Laguna-"You know that is not true. You expect too much of yourself, Squall. It is impossible not to be affected by this, you are doing a better job keeping things under control than I could ever do"

Squall-"I'm not. I am being told to help people, yet I am not able to give them information. I am stuck between human emotion and protocol, and I do not know which side to take. I am at a crossroad in my life. And for the first time, I don't know which way to go"

Laguna-"You will find your way. Why don't we see how Selphie and Rinoa are, I haven't seen them since the accident"…

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Cid was sat looking through the papers in his office. He looked at the picture stashed between a code of conduct notice and a letter advertising technical equipment. The picture was of Edea, Ellone and a boy about Ellone's age. They were all stood in front of the old orphanage smiling, wearing White SeeD uniforms. Cid smiled and took a sip from the fifth glass of whiskey he had poured himself that evening…

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A slow ending to the chapter but I wanted to add a bit of character to the um…characters. I want to develop them from the original game, and therefore some of the parts of the chapter, though necessary, were quite boring. A note on the snippets of lyrics, I had intended to do this from the start but I wanted to just get introductions out of the way. I won't put lyrics in for the sake of it, but if a part of the story reminds me of a song, I'll place a couple of lines. If you are interested in what any of the bands sound like, post something in the review section and I'll post a reply with a little information. That's all J


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